Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Duntune 1086 DB

• Dunton 1247 Cl 1254 P

• Duninton' 1183 ib

• Dunynton' 1223–7 Whall

• Donitona, Don'ttoina 1153–81 Tab

• Doninton c.1240 ib

• Doncton 1269–1300 ib

• Duttun, Dutton 1150–76 et freq

• Dotton(a) 1157–94 Chest 1172 Facs 1178 Bun c.1200 LRODx 1350 AD

• Dudton c.1233 Dow

• Dittun 13 Tab

• Dittune 1343 ib

• Ditton(e) 1245 P 1252 RBE 1349 Eyre

• Dytton 1349 1350 Chamb 1390 ChRR 1653 Sheaf

• Duderton 1284 Ch 1356 Plea

• Dinton 1301,1392,1427 Pat

• Douton 1447 AD

Etymology

The spellings for this place-name represent two traditions, one with Dun -, Don -, the other with Dud -, Dut -. The principal series, leading to the modern form, represents 'Dudda's farm', from the OE  pers.n. Dudda and tūn as stated in DEPN. The development from OE  *Duddantune proceeds by loss of inflexional -an , assimilation of -dt - to -tt -, and occasionally the same shift of -u - to -i - (Dut - > Dit -) as in Dutton La 144. The series Dun -, Don -, which appears earlier than the prevailing one, could only be related to it by supposing a process OE  *Duddantūne > *Dudntūne > Duntūne . It seems preferable to suppose that Duntūne etc. represent OE  *Dūntūn , *Dūningtūn 'farm at or associated with a hill', v. dūn , -ing-, and that Dutton was alternatively 'Hill Farm' and 'Dudda's Farm'. Cf. Duttons 326infra .